Media coverage 2019
  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the Guardian newspaper

  • Toxic Tube lines mean London Underground is world's worst for air pollution Researchers from King’s have carried out the first comprehensive study of fine particles on the London Underground to evaluate the exposure of people travelling on different parts of the network. Coverage appeared in The Times, The Independent, Daily Mail and FT. How to deal with indoor air pollution Frank Kelly, Professor of Environmental Health at King's, advises on how to lower indoor air pollution. Clean air for all: Buyers to be told if a home is polluted The Times 30 November Addresspollution.org used King's data on the level of nitrogen dioxide, a toxic gas released when diesel, petrol and gas are burnt, to reveal the level of air pollution on each doorstep.

  • Breathing London air is like smoking 160 cigarettes a year, reveals analysis of UK pollution levels (so, how toxic is YOUR town?) Daily Mail 5 December The research by King’s was the first of its kind to analyse

  • New study reveals high levels of pollution on London Underground Researchers from King’s College London have carried out the first comprehensive study of fine particles on the London Underground to evaluate the exposure of people travelling on different parts of the network.

  • Impact of air pollution on health may be far worse than thought, study suggests The Guardian 27 November Comment from Dr Ioannis Bakolis, Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics and Epidemiology, on research which indicates every cell in the body could be affected by air pollution.

  • New King's research, analysing air pollution in 13 cities across the UK and Poland, has suggested that living within 50 metres of a major road can increase the risk of lung cancer by up to 10 percent. The study also suggested that proximity to major roads can also stunt children’s lung development by up to 14%, and that air pollution would have to be reduced by 20% to cut the number of lung cancer cases. The story was picked up by the Daily Mail (1) (2), The Independent, The Guardian, BBC News The Daily Telegraph, The Times including an editorial on Clean Air, The Sun, the Daily Mirror, The I. Internationally, the story was picked up in Iran Daily, Business Ghana and the Times of Israel amongst others. In broadcast the story was covered on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio, including regional, 5 Live, World Service, also on ITV1 Westcountry, BBC London News, talkRADIO and LBC.
  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the Guardian newspaper.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/21/pollutionwatch-bristol-low-emissions-zones

  • Living near a busy road can stunt children's lung growth Research by King’s released today reveals the health risks of living near a busy road in the UK.

  • The silent killer: raising a stink about air pollution Financial Times 21 November Mentions a new mobile app, created by King's in collaboration with the British Safety Council, alerting employers if pollution levels rise above WHO thresholds.

  • Why exercising outside may be bad for you Daily Mail 19 November References 2018 research suggesting air pollution could cause up to 36,000 deaths a year in the UK.

  • Recent research by King’s and UK100, suggesting that high air pollution could contribute to five premature deaths each week in Bristol, gained coverage nationally in The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and the Daily Express, and several reports on BBC Bristol.

  • Guy Fawkes BBC 1, 5 November 2019 The report on bonfires on Guy Fawkes night mentions experts at King's who said fireworks on Bonfire Night across the UK is continually one of the most polluting evenings.

  • Toxic air on Tube makes daily trips a health risk Sunday Times, 3 November 2019 The London Underground has some of the most polluted air in Britain, according to scientists who found levels of toxic particles to be 18 times higher in its train carriages than in the streets above. Article references research involving Dr David Green, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences. The Metro also reported. King’s research on the health impact of poor air quality was referenced in a Daily Mail piece and a later Financial Times report.

  • This is why electric cars won't stop air pollution, Greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane cause climate change, while various localised air pollutants cause respiratory disease. IMechE 4 November 2019

  • Higher air pollution days trigger cardiac arrests and hospitalisations - New data released today by King’s and UK100, a network of local leaders, shows that hundreds of children and adults are suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrests or being sent to hospital for strokes or severe asthma attacks on days when air pollution levels are higher in nine major cities across England.

  • School Nurse Reveals Bonfire Night Pollution Triggered Asthma Attack Huffington Post, 30 October 2019 Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences, commented on how to avoid air pollution on Bonfire Night.

  • Plastic: The Unseen Truth - Tonight recent report claims, without knowing it, we may be ingesting 2,000 tiny pieces of plastic every week - and could have serious health implications.

  • Why asthma can be bad for the environment The Week, 30 October 2019 Cambridge University study finds some inhalers release greenhouse gases. Earlier this month, the BBC reported that researchers at King’s found that higher air pollution in the UK triggers hundreds more asthma attacks each year.

  • Smoggy days lead to rise in A&E admissions Guardian, 26 October 2019 Scores of people are being taken to hospital for emergency treatment on days of high pollution in cities across England, including for heart attacks and strokes. Data from a King's study, previewed on Monday, shows the extra strain on the NHS on those days, including 120 more cardiac arrests, 230 more strokes and 200 more people needing asthma treatment.

  • London Air BBC London 94.9 FM, 13 October 2019 More than a quarter of London's parks and playgrounds breach air pollution safety limits, a report revealed this week. Interview with Simon Birkett, Founder and Director of Clean Air in London, who references a website run by King's with information about London's Air Quality Network.

  • Revealed: How much cocaine Londoners are taking every day - London's cocaine market is now worth an estimated £1bn a year after new tests revealed people in the capital are taking an average of 23kg of the Class A drug every day.

  • Boris Johnson promises new law to clean up the environment by targeting air pollution in his first Queen's Speech as Prime Minister Daily Mail, 12 October 2019 King’s research on air quality is referenced.

  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the Guardian newspaper

  • London's air pollution crisis revealed: More than a QUARTER of the capital's parks, playgrounds and open spaces exceed safety limits for air quality (so, how bad is YOURS?) Daily Mail, 11 October 2019 Londoners can today discover how bad the air quality is in their local park by using an interactive map. This study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, used 2016 pollution data from King's.

  • A new study exclusively for Sky News has discovered that Londoners consume more than half a million doses of cocaine a day, twice the amount of any other European city. Dr Leon Barron, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences, commented. The figure comes with the help of a new study of the capital's sewage water by a team at King’s. Sky.com, Sky News (1) (2), Times, Daily Mail, Sun, Tab, Vice UK, Yahoo and the London Evening Standard picked up the story.

  • Cabbies soot alert Sun, 30 September 2019 Taxi drivers inhale the most toxic black carbon among professional drivers - and could halve the level by closing their windows, a study found. King's researchers tracked 140 cabbies in central London. The Metro the Daily Express.

  • Babies who grow up breathing polluted air face up to a 50% greater risk of dying before they turn one, study of eight million infants warns Daily Mail, 27 September 2019 Study of 8m births found 30 to 50% increase risk of death in children by age one. In March, King's scientists linked toxic air to intense paranoia and hearing voices in young people for the first time. They said uncovering exactly how pollution may lead to psychosis should be an 'urgent health priority'.

  • Pollutionwatch Guardian, 27 September 2019 Though air quality appeared to improve, measuring the precise impact of car-less days is difficult. Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Services, comments on a car-free day in Bath.

  • The fight to bring a deadly illegal industry to justice BBC News, 24 September 2019 The work of Dr Leon Barron, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences, in developing an ivory fingerprint kit is highlighted in a piece on trafficking.

  • Air Quality Sky News, 21 September 2019 Sky News interview with the music artist Drillminister. They discuss his new song that that highlights climate change. During the discussion Drill minister makes reference to a website that gives nitrogen readings in London developed by King’s.

  • Air Quality Channel 4 News, 19 September 2019 Data from King’s is referenced in a segment on a rapper who has made it their mission to tackle pollution.

  • Homebuyers are being encouraged to seek discounts of up to 20 per cent by checking a new website that reveals the level of air pollution on each doorstep. The site uses data from King's to give the level of nitrogen dioxide, a toxic gas released when diesel, petrol and gas are burnt, for every postcode in the capital. The Times, Week UK, Daily Mail, Reuters, BBC News, Yahoo News, BBC London, BBC 1 and ITV 1 reported.

  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the The Guardian

  • Breathe London CNN International (US), 7 September 2019 Feature on Breathe London has partnered with organisations such as King's.

  • Air pollution 'causes a third of childhood asthma cases' Daily Mail, 8 August 2019 Air pollution could cause a third of new childhood asthma cases in the UK, a major study warns today. Previous King’s research is mentioned.

  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the The Guardian

    • Silvertown Tunnel: Pollution expert who backed ULEZ slams Sadiq Khan over £1 billion scheme - Professor Frank Kelly, of King’s College London, is one of more than 40 experts and activists to sign a letter urging the Mayor to stop the build.
  • UK100 / KCL Report on Birmingham Air Pollution - Study shows children will die 7 months early due to air pollution. The story was reported by various newspaper, The Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail, HuffPost UK, ITV News, The Sun, etc.

  • Study finds people eat at least 50,000 plastic particles a year The average person swallows at least 50,000 particles of microplastic a year and breathes in a similar amount, according to the first study to estimate human ingestion of plastic pollution, Dr Stephanie Wright, commented on the study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

  • The story was also reported by the Independent, CNN and Yahoo.

  • Monitoring and Combating Air Pollution in Paris In June, Bloomberg unveiled an exciting partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies and the City of Paris to improve air quality and better understand pollution patterns throughout the city. the Environmental Research Group at King's College London will provide technical assistance and identify synergies between their ongoing work in London, Paris, and beyond.

  • TfL urged to clean up dirty bus routes to save children from 'toxic school run' Daily Telegraph, 14 July 2019

  • London authorities are being urged to tackle the toxic school runs, as it emerges that children at 455 schools breathe air which breaches legal standards for pollution. Recent King’s research is referenced. The research was also mentioned by the Hindustan Times.

  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the Guardian newspaper

  • King's researchers studying the city of Birmingham have found air pollution could shorten a child's life by up to seven months. An eight-year-old child born in 2011 may die between two to seven months early if exposed over their lifetime to projected future pollution concentrations. The Daily Telegraph, Times, Guardian, Daily Mail(1) (2), i, Daily Express, Daily Mirror, BBC Radio Five Live, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4, BBC News,ITV, Yahoo, Five News (1) (2),London Evening Standard and Huffington Post reported.

  • Air pollution: How bad is your commute? BBC News, 25 June 2019

  • A school in south-east London is trialling out backpacks that measure pollution to see how bad it is, and Tom Edwards decided to wear one for two weeks to see how much pollution he was exposed to while working across central London. Dr Benjamin Barratt, Analytical Environment and Forensic Sciences, comments on work he’s been researching in cooperation with Dyson. BBC London News (1) (2) (3) also reported.

  • The Tube has a massive dust problem. But TfL has a plan to fix it Wired, 28 June 2019

  • Levels of small particles on the London Underground are 30 to 40 times higher than at the surface. The health implications are unclear, but TfL has a plan to fix the problem anyway. Transport for London has commissioned new research into the long-term effects of Tube dust in conjunction with King’s College London.

  • We mustn't ignore the environmental impact of electric cars Telegraph.co.uk

  • I'm inclined to agree with Professor Frank Kelly. The automotive press is culpable too – in the same way that Dieselgate largely passed us by for years,

  • Car tyres affect primary student's lungs, UK study finds EducationHQ Australia ... will be irritating and causing reactions in the lung, which over time would not be good for our health," Professor Frank Kelly from Kings College said.

The eco-friendly midsummer makeover The Times, 7 June 2019

  • As the weather turns a little warmer many of us venture outside to tidy things in preparation for the summer, but don't fuss too much, because for those that crave an eco-friendly, easy-to-maintain garden, less is definitely more. Dr Benjamin Barratt, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences, commented on the impact of barbecues on air quality.

  • How lazy must you be to have toast, fish fingers and even a cup of tea delivered to your door Daily Mail, 6 June 2019

  • Piece on Uber Eats includes comment from Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences.

  • People swallow 'at least 50,000 plastic particles' a year in food and drink Guardian, 6 June 2019

  • The average person swallows at least 50,000 particles of microplastic a year and breathes in a similar amount, according to the first study to estimate human ingestion of plastic pollution published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. Dr Stephanie Wright, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences, commented on the study. The Independent,CNN and Yahoo also reported.

  • One in three children 'breathing toxic plastic' from car tyres Times, 10 June 2019

  • The lung development of children could be stunted by the release of microplastics from car tyres, an investigation involving King’s suggests. The Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, i, Daily Express, Sun, Daily Mirror.

  • Pollution FIVE, 22 May 2019 Andrew Grieve, Environmental Research Group, joins to discuss the policy of banning cars from city centres in a bid to tackle air pollution.

  • World's largest study to monitor air quality exposure of 250 children A new study by King's scientists will monitor air quality exposure of 250 children on their way to school and in the classroom. The announcement was made today at Haimo Primary School in Greenwich by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who is funding the study.

  • Hydrogen double-deckers coming to London roads Independent, 12 May 2019

  • London will become the first city in the world to have double-decker hydrogen-powered buses next year. Previous King’s research on the air quality in the capital is mentioned. King’s research on air quality was also mentioned on BBC London.

  • I will take action - even if the PM won't Times, 11 May 2019 An opinion piece from Sir James Dyson discussing pollution and emissions, in which he mentions children in London wearing Dyson backpacks developed for a study conducted by King’s.

  • Why it's safer walking to work than choking in a polluted car Times, 10 May 2019 Investigation by King’s London Air team with The Times into why it’s safer to walk to work than choking in a polluted car. Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences, also commented for another piece for The Times.

  • Air Quality BBC Radio 4, 8 May 2019 As the quality of the air we breathe becomes an increasing worry, how much pollution are we breathing in while inside our cars? Reference is made to pollution being measured by King's.

  • London is preparing to enforce ‘world leading’ vehicle pollution restrictions from Monday. Research from King’s, led by Dr Heather Walton, and Imperial College found that an average of four Londoners per day are admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties linked to pollution. The research received coverage across the week. Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical Environmental and Forensic Sciences, and Dr Anna Font, Air Quality Analyst, also offered comment on the Ultra Low Emission Zone. Guardian(1) (2), London Evening Standard, Daily Mail (1) (2) (3), Metro, Daily Express, Daily Mirror,i,Independent,Press Association, New Scientist,Huffington Post, Time,CNN,Xinhuanet English,BBC 1 Sunday Politics, BBC Radio Five Live (1) (2) (3) (4), BBC London and BBC Radio 4.

  • Toxic air pollution to shorten children's lives by 20 months, report says CNN, 4 April 2019 Air pollution will shorten the life expectancy of children by 20 months on average, with kids in South Asian countries such as India and Pakistan most vulnerable, a new report says. Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, said that until recently little data had been available on air pollution challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.

  • Revealed: two million Londoners live in areas with illegal toxic air London Evening Standard, 1 April 2019

  • Two million Londoners live in areas where air pollution exceeds legal limits, it has been revealed. The figures were released by City Hall ahead of the introduction of mayor Sadiq Khan’s £12.50-a-day ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) in central London, which aims to cut toxic air by up to 45 per cent. King’s estimates that the Ulez will help to bring the capital’s air within limits by 2025. The Guardian and Xinhuanet English also covered the story. Dr Benjamin Barratt, Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences additionally commented on the charge on BBC Radio 4, BBC News London, Evening Standard and BBC World Service.

  • Like the gilets jaunes, London's black-cab and Uber drivers rail against environmental policies Wired, 1 April 2019 Professor Frank Kelly__, Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, is quoted in a piece on air quality.

  • How to pollution proof your diet Daily Mail, 1 April 2019 Jane Clarke discusses the health effects of air pollution. King's research found that high levels of Vitamin E may minimise the effects of exposure to air pollution.

  • Dirty air and babies Times, 15 March 2019 Letter stating that in 2017, researchers from King's showed that reductions in birth weight were tied more closely to exhaust emissions than to other types of particulates generated by traffic and not at all to noise pollution.

  • Canairy BBC 1, 12 March 2019 A new app that can tell people working outdoors in London how much air pollution they're being exposed has been launched. King's College London has developed the 'Canairy' app as part of the British Safety Council's ‘Time to Breathe’ campaign.

  • Rise of delivery motorbikes hits efforts for cleaner air Times, 11 March 2019

  • London's slow progress in meeting its air pollution targets is partly because of an unexpectedly large rise in the use of motorcycles, according to a study co-authored by Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences. Daily Express, Daily Mail and BBC London reported.

  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the Guardian newspaper

  • As London prepares for the introduction of tough charges on dirty cars, Julian Glover hears from the bright minds using cutting edge science to purify the air in the city. The world centre of scientific research into air quality at King's is referred to.

  • The electric car revolution is heading your way London Evening Standard, 7 March 2019 Health researchers at King’s say pollution causes 9,000 premature deaths each year in the capital. Which is why next month Mayor Sadiq Khan will launch the toughest emissions charges for vehicles in any big city in the world.

  • App will update outdoor staff on air pollution risks to health London Evening Standard, 7 March 2019 The Canairy app from King's and the British Safety Council will provide information updated hourly about exposure to dangerous levels of toxins.

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says air pollution should be considered in planning applications London Evening Standard, 1 March 2019 Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, commented on the calls from the NHS watchdog for air quality issues to be factored into planning applications.

  • Driving us into a cleaner future London Evening Standard, 26 February 2019

  • Last month the government released its clean air strategy for 2019 and many listeners were shocked that it wasn’t diesel cars that seemed to be the villain of the piece, it was wood burners. Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, contributes. Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, was quoted in the Times of India, in relation to Delhi’s pollution levels.

  • How to stop the construction industry choking our cities Guardian, 3 February 2019 According to the most detailed air-quality study in the UK, the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, construction sites are responsible for approximately 7.5% of damaging nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Daniel Marsh, Environmental Research Group, comments.

  • The latest in Dr Gary Fuller's pollution watch series for the Guardian, 1 February 2019

  • The UK measures the effects of daily air pollution, like sunburn risk, on a one to 10 index. Scientists at King's tested different types of messages with volunteers who used the CityAir app.

  • Revealed: London's famous Strand could go traffic free under £28m plans to turn one of capital's most congested streets into green haven for pedestrians Daily Mail, 31 January 2019

  • A 650-foot stretch of London's Strand could be transformed under £28m plan by Westminster City Council. Landmarks such as Somerset House and King's would become mainly accessible to the public from the plaza. The London Evening Standard, Sina English and Xinhauent reported.

  • It's time for all of us to clear up Daily Mail, 26 January 2019 Jeremy Paxman writes on behalf of the Daily Mail’s ‘The Great British Spring Clean’ initiative. Professor Frank Kelly, Environmental and Analytical Sciences, comments.

  • Silent Witness BBC 1 The One Show, 22 January 2019 Interview with Dr Leon Barron, Forensic Science, who is working at the cutting edge of the latest tech designed to aid forensic scientists.

  • Thousands still buy dirty wood-burners Times, 21 January 2019 More than 100,000 dirty wood-burning stoves were sold last year despite promises by the government and stove industry to cut the pollution they cause. Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments.

  • Pollution ITV 1 London, 21 January 2019 The high street needs to look at ways to save the planet. Research from King's Environmental Research Group shows pollution from cars and lorries can be cut by a third if residents keep doors shut.

  • Wood-burners Times, 18 January 2019 Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments on the dangers of having a wood-burner in the home, after the government's Clean Air Strategy to tackle pollution was set out this week by Michael Gove.

  • Bacteria could be making China's smog worse Daily Mail, 15 January 2019 Scientists found that when smog levels increase, the amount of bacteria increased. Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, comments on air quality in China.

  • Air pollution crackdown avoids legally binding goals Financial Times, 14 January 2019 Article discussing a new plan to tackle air pollution. Includes a quote from Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences.

  • Air Quality BBC Radio 4, 14 January 2019 The Government has released its plans for improving air quality in Britain. Interview with Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences.

  • Stop the home fires burning Times, 12 January 2019 Review of ‘The Invisible Killer’ by Dr Gary Fuller, Analytical and Environmental Sciences.

  • Pollution in tube stations higher than near busy roads, experts say Guardian, 10 January 2019 Concerns over air quality on the London tube have been raised after King’s researchers found the concentration of pollution in tube stations was up to 30 times higher than on busy roads. Professor Frank Kelly, Analytical and Environmental Sciences, commented for BBC London (1) (2). The Daily Mail, Reuters, and the Independent also covered the story, citing previous King’s research.

Item date: 2019-01-01
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